Prevalence studies of dementia and cognitive impairment in different cultures and environments are necessary.
OBJECTIVE:
To verify the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in a rural homogeneous population from flooded areas in the Amazonian Basin.
METHODS:
A total of 163 subjects were interviewed with neurological, cognitive and functional evaluation. The individuals were classified as demented or cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND).
RESULTS:
cognitive impairment was observed in 11.4% (n=18 individuals). Ten out of the 18 were diagnosed as CIND and eight with dementia. The prevalence rate of dementia was 4.9% in subjects aged 50 years or over and of CIND was 6.1%. Considering only the elder group (>64 years of age), there was a 12.3% prevalence of dementia and 7.7% of CIND.
CONCLUSION:
In a homogeneous population, we observed a similar prevalence of dementia to rates reported by studies in Brazil and in other developed and developing countries.
cognitive impairment; dementia; illiteracy; cognitive evaluation
